UEFA Youth League domestic champions path draw

The UEFA Youth League domestic champions path draw has set two rounds of knockout competition for 32 of the 64 contenders.

The 32 clubs that compete in the UEFA Champions League path (which was drawn on Thursday) are those that take part in this season's group stage of the senior competition. They are joined in the competition by the 32 domestic youth champions from the highest-ranked entering associations whose senior side had not qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage – these teams take part in the domestic champions path.

Where the senior side of a domestic youth champion had qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage, the vacant place was filled by the domestic youth champion of the next-ranked entering association.

The domestic champions path teams compete in two rounds of two-legged knockout ties. The eventual eight second-round winners progress to the play-offs where they face the runners-up in the eight UEFA Champions League path groups. The winners of those ties progress to the round of 16 alongside the UEFA Champions League path group winners.

First round ties (29 September & 20 October)

Pogoń Szczecin (POL) vs Deportivo La Coruña (ESP)
MTK Budapest (HUN) vs Sparta Praha (CZE)
PAOK (GRE) vs Žilina (SVK)
Shkëndija (MKD) vs Hajduk Split (CRO)
Daugavpils (LVA) vs FC Minsk (BLR)
APOEL (CYP) vs Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU) vs Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Köln (GER) vs Genk (BEL)

Septemvri Sofia (BUL) vs Akademia e Futibollit (ALB)
Zvijezda 09 (BIH) vs Trabzonspor (TUR)
Domžale (SVN) vs Empoli (ITA)
Gabala (AZE) vs AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Csikszereda (ROU) vs Angers (FRA)
Rangers (SCO) vs Hammarby (SWE)
Rosenborg (NOR) vs Midtjylland (DEN)
Saint Patrick's Athletic (IRL) vs Crvena zvezda (SRB)

• Žalgiris are the first UEFA Youth League entrants from Lithuania.

• Akademia e Futbollit, Angers, Csikszereda, Daugavpils, Deportivo La Coruña, Empoli, Hajduk Split, Köln, Pogoń Szczecin, Saint Patrick's Athletic, Trabzonspor and Zvijezda 09 are also making debuts.

The second round ties have been drawn for NovemberUEFA

Second round ties (3 & 24 November)

Shkëndija (MKD)/Hajduk Split (CRO) vs Daugavpils (LVA)/FC Minsk (BLR)
MTK Budapest (HUN)/Sparta Praha (CZE) vs Köln (GER)/Genk (BEL)
Pogoń Szczecin (POL)/Deportivo La Coruña (ESP) vs Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU)/Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
PAOK (GRE)/Žilina (SVK) vs APOEL (CYP)/Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Saint Patrick's Athletic (IRL)/Crvena zvezda (SRB) vs Domžale (SVN)/Empoli (ITA)
Zvijezda 09 (BIH)/Trabzonspor (TUR) vs Rosenborg (NOR)/Midtjylland (DEN)
Csikszereda (ROU)/Angers (FRA) vs Gabala (AZE)/AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Rangers (SCO)/Hammarby (SWE) vs Septemvri Sofia (BUL)/Akademia e Futibollit (ALB)

Knockout dates

Play-off draw: 14 December, Nyon
Play-offs: 8/9 February
Knockout draw (round of 16 onwards): 14 February, Nyon
Round of 16: 1/2 March
Quarter-finals: 15/16 March
Semi-finals: 22 April, Nyon
Final: 25 April, Nyon

How the draw worked

First round

• Teams were split into four geographical groups in accordance with the principles set by the UEFA Club Competitions Committee, with no seeding within them.

• A pot was prepared for Group 1 with the requisite number of balls, each containing the name of one domestic champions path team.

• Two balls were drawn from the bowl. Those teams will play each other, with the first team drawn playing the first match at home and the return match away.

• The previous step was carried out with the remaining balls in the bowl to complete all the pairings.
  
• The steps were then carried out for the other groups.

Group 1

Deportivo La Coruña (ESP)
Sparta Praha (CZE)
PAOK (GRE)
Hajduk Split (CRO)
Pogoń Szczecin (POL)
Žilina (SVK)
MTK Budapest (HUN)
Shkëndija (MKD)

Group 2

Köln (GER)
Genk (BEL)
APOEL (CYP)
Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
FC Minsk (BLR)
Žalgiris Vilnius (LTU)
Daugavpils (LVA)

Group 3

Empoli (ITA)
AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Trabzonspor (TUR)
Gabala (AZE)
Septemvri Sofia (BUL)
Domžale (SVN)
Akademia e Futibollit (ALB)
Zvijezda 09 (BIH)

Group 4

Angers (FRA)
Midtjylland (DEN)
Rangers (SCO)
Crvena zvezda (SRB)
Hammarby (SWE)
Rosenborg (NOR)
Csikszereda (ROU)
Saint Patrick's Athletic (IRL)

Second round

• The 16 pairings were split into two geographical groups in accordance with the principles set by the UEFA Club Competitions Committee, with no seeding within them: Group A consisted of first round Groups 1 and 2, and Group B consisted of first round Groups 3 and 4.

• The first-round pairings for Group A were placed in a central bowl and shuffled.

• Two balls were drawn from the bowl. These pairings will play each other, with the first pairing drawn playing the first match at home and the return away.

• The same steps were carried out with the remaining balls in the bowl, and the same procedure followed for Group B.